Audi Autonomous TTS shows driverless car can be fun

Audi is working hard on a car that doesn't require the driver to anything except sit there and watch the scenery go by. It's called the "Autonomous Audi TTS," not the catchiest of names, and it's "intended to explore the best capabilities of current and future driver assistance technologies."

The car is a joint project between the Volkswagen Group Automotive Innovation Laboratory (VAIL) in Palo Alto, Calif., and Stanford University. Audi, which is part of VW, thinks lessons learned from the project could help reduce traffic deaths and reduce road congestion.

It could also help with the more mundane aspects of driving. With the Autonomous TTS, you could let your car go find its own parking space in the garage. "The technology could return time to the cars' owners by taking care of routine driving chores, such as winding through a parking garage to an assigned spot each morning," Audi says. And, of course, you can find cool ways to torture test the car:

One idea is a run up Pikes Peak. That would be fun: say goodbye at the start. You might see the car again; you might find it in a ravine a few days later. The 12.4-mile course is used for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and could provide a "non-competitive environment that would allow the Autonomous TTS to show its capabilities at various speeds and conditions, including drifting."

But not too much drifting. Otherwise, it will go right off the side of the mountain.

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About Chris Woodyard

Chris Woodyard is an auto writer for USA TODAY who covers all aspects of motoring. He revels in the exhaust note of a Maserati and the sharp creases of a Cadillac CTS. Chris strives to live a Porsche life on a Scion budget. More about Chris